Respiratory assessment

Question 1

Blood pressure- Normal values? How to measure?

Answer 1

Normal= 120/180
Concerns if diastolic > 95
Concerns if <100 systolic or >140 systolic
Measure: Invasive= arterial line
non-invasive= blood pressure monitor

Question 2

Causes of decreased blood pressure + symptoms of this

Answer 2

HYPOTENSION
Causes:
Infection or sepsis
Blood loss
Dehydration
Medications
Postural hypotension
Symptoms: light headed, dizzy, weak, fainting

Question 3

Causes of increased blood pressure + symptoms of this

Answer 3

HYPERTENSION
Causes:
Pain
Anxiety/stress
Disease
Obesity, diet, smoking , alcohol
Symptoms: Headache, pounding in ears, red in face

Question 4

Heart rate- Normal values? How to measure

Answer 4

Normal: 60-100 bpm
Measure: stethoscope, checking pulse, a chest strap fitness tracker

Question 5

Causes of decreased heart rate + symptoms

Answer 5

BRADYCARDIA (<60)
Causes:
Cardiac pathology
Drugs
Certain diseases
Suction
Elite athletes
Symptoms: chest pain, confusion, dizzy, fatigue, fainting, shortness of breath

Question 6

Causes of increased heart rate + symptoms

Answer 6

Causes:
Exercise
Infection
Sepsis
Anxiety
Pain
Medications
Drugs
Symptoms: shortness of breath, light-headedness, chest pain, irregular pulse, rapid heart palpitations

Question 7

Respiratory rate- Normal value? How to measure?

Answer 7

Normal: 12-20 (may see 12-16)
Bradypnea= <12
Tachypnea= >20
Measure: Standars pulse oximeters
Count the number of times your chest rises over the course of one minute

Question 8

Causes of decreased respiratory rate + symptoms

Answer 8

BRADYPNEA
Causes:
Reduced alertness due to drugs/alcohol
Neurological event damage to respiratory centre in brain
Obstructive sleep apnoea
Symptoms: light headed, feeling faint, dizzy, fatigue, weakness, confusion

Question 9

Causes of increased respiratory rate + symptoms

Answer 9

TACHYPNEA
Anxiety/ pain
Hyperventilation syndrome
Infection or sepsis
Hypozemia (many reasons)
Lung disease
Symptoms: Shortness of breath, increase work of breathing, struggling to speak, fatigue, reduced oxygen saturation, dizziness

Question 10

Oxygen saturation- normal? how to measure?

Answer 10

Normal: 94-98% or 88-92% (if oxygen sensitive) but may be even lower than this
Measure: A pulse oximeter (device put on the tip of a finger)

Question 11

Causes of decreased oxygen saturations + symptoms

Answer 11

HYPOXEMIA
Poor trace
Acute & chronic
Pathologies
Bleeding etc
Lung disease
Medications
Symptoms: headache, difficulty breathing, rapid heart rate, bluish skin

Question 12

Causes of increased oxygen saturations + symptoms

Answer 12

Over oxygenation

Question 13

Urine output- normal value? how to measure?

Answer 13

0.5ml/kg/hr – so varies
between people
Polyuria (>2.5L a day)
Oliguria (<500ml in 24
hours)
Anuria – no UO

Question 14

Causes of decreased urine output + symptoms

Answer 14

OLGURIA
Dehydration – especially with
vomiting & diarrhoea
Infection or sepsis
Renal pathology eg obstruction,
CKD
Acute Kidney Injury
Symptoms:
Feeling
lethargic/fatigued
Thirsty
Dry mouth, skin (links to lungs and
MCT, sputum)
Confusion

Question 15

Temperature- normal? how to measure?

Answer 15

Normal: 36.5-37.5
Measure: Thermometer (in ear or oral, axilla, rectal)
Non-specific: touch

Question 16

Causes of decrease in temperature + symptoms

Answer 16

HYPOTHERMIA <35
Causes:
Infection (sepsis)
Lack of heat eg outside for too
long without adequate protection
Long lies
Symptoms: Shivering, Slurred speech, Slow or shallow breathing, Weak pulse, Drowsiness, Confusion, Bright red/cold skin

Question 17

Causes of increase in temperature + symptoms

Answer 17

HYPERTHERMIA (>38)
Causes:
Infection or sepsis
Overheated/consider the
environment itself
Side effects of drugs
Inflammatory conditions
Symptoms: Blurred vision, Dizzy, Fast breathing, Fatigue, Headache, Low blood pressure, Weakness, Muscle aches

Question 18

Alertness- normal value? how to measure?

Answer 18

Normal: 15/15 on glasgow scale
<8/15 concerning
Measure: Alert, confusion, voice, pain, unresponsive (ACVPU) Glasgow coma scale

Question 19

Causes of decreased alertness + symptoms

Answer 19

Causes: Neurological event
Drugs eg alcohol, OD, sedatives
Hypercapnia

Symptoms: Drowsy, sleepy,
unresponsive

Question 20

Causes of increase in alertness + symptoms

Answer 20

Causes:
Neurological event
Hypoxia
Infection or sepsis
Symptoms:
Confusion